A Somber Moment in the 'Situation Room' - Behind the Hunt for Bin Laden

by Guest Tue May 03, 2011 9:47 am

On Sunday afternoon, as the helicopters raced over Pakistani territory, the president and his advisers gathered in the Situation Room of the White House to monitor the operation as it unfolded. Much of the time was spent in silence. Mr. Obama looked “stone faced,” one aide said. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. fingered his rosary beads. “The minutes passed like days,” recalled John O. Brennan, the White House counterterrorism chief.

The code name for Bin Laden was “Geronimo.” The president and his advisers watched Leon E. Panetta, the C.I.A. director, on a video screen, narrating from his agency’s headquarters across the Potomac River what was happening in faraway Pakistan.

“They’ve reached the target,” he said.

Minutes passed.

“We have a visual on Geronimo,” he said.

A few minutes later: “Geronimo EKIA.”

Enemy Killed In Action. There was silence in the Situation Room.

Finally, the president spoke up.

“We got him.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/03/world/asia/03intel.html

by cps70 Tue May 03, 2011 1:38 pm

The President at that moment was neither a dem or repub. there was no partisan politics being played no left or right wing there was only a man who was elected president and was doing what was best for the US #1 and the rest of the world #2 at that moment he was for everyone our commander and chief he was strong and unwavered,he was, shall I dare to say, just plain Mr. President. and I for one would like to thank our great military and our pres for a job well done.

by Guest Tue May 03, 2011 2:04 pm

Just looking at the faces of the people in that room during that moment made them all "human beings" in my eyes. You are right, there were no Repubs or Democrats in the room, just our President and the people he chose to help him lead the country.

That picture is worth more than a "thousand words", it speaks volumes.

by **Jobless_in_Ma** Tue May 03, 2011 2:18 pm

That was a great moment for America. One less evil person in this world. My fear though is a retaliation by Al queda.

by Guest Tue May 03, 2011 4:28 pm

That was awesome to watch. That pic of Secretary Clinton with her hand to her mouth - really looks intense.

by lendmeflight2 Tue May 03, 2011 4:33 pm

I really don't think much will change in the world. I don't believe that Bin Laden had been leading Al Queda for awhile now. A lot of their effectiveness has been diminished in the last 10 years. We have caught all of the terror plots on America since then.

The big difference going forward is that the symbol of Osama Bin Laden is no longer there. Before Sunday, he stood as an example that you could attack the USA and get away with it. Now, no one can say that.

I do wish they had picked a different code name besides Geronimo. I understand he was a fugitive for a longtime but he is sort of a heroic character in mine and a lot of other people's eyes. I don't want his memory attached to someone like Bin Laden.

by Guest Tue May 03, 2011 4:37 pm

The code name Geronimo had apparently been chosen for bin Laden because, like the Native American chief, he had managed to evade capture for years and was apparently able to vanish into thin air.
In Geronimo's case his ability to stay on the run gave rise to legends that he was able to walk without leaving any tracks, and that he could survive being shot.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/03/geronimo-and-other-code-names_n_857046.html#s273587&title=Geronimo